Wheel and tire assembly for toy vehicles

ABSTRACT

A wheel and tire assembly for toy vehicles wherein a generally cylindrical wheel of rigid material has a reduced portion projecting concentrically from the outer side thereof and a peripheral groove adjacent the inner side thereof and a tire of resilient material encircling the wheel and having an outer side wall tightly encircling the reduced portion and an annular bead on the inner side of the tire seated in said peripheral groove to prohibit outward axial removal of the tire from the wheel.

United States Patent [191 [11] 3,7305% Zbikowski 5] May 1, 1973 [541WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY FOR 3,360,300 12/1967 Carter ..46/22l x TOYVEHICLES FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [75] Inventor: Theodore H.Zbikowski, Mound,

Minn 965,560 6/1957 Germany ..46/22l [73] Assignee: Tonka Corporation.Mound, Minn. Primary Examiner RiChard J Johnson [22] Filed: Apr. 26,1971 Attorney-Carlsen, Carlsen & Sturm [21] Appl. No.: 137,493 57ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl ..30l/63 PW, 46/221 A wheel and tire assembly fortoy vehicles wherein a [51] Int.Cl. ..'B60b 5/02 generally cylindricalwheel of rigid material has a [58] Field of Search ..l52/379,380;reduced portion projecting concentrically from the 301/63 PW; 46/221outer side thereof and a peripheral groove adjacent the inner sidethereof and a tire of resilient material [56] References cued encirclingthe wheel and having an outer side wall UNITED STATES PATENTS tightlyencircling the reduced portion and an annular bead on the lnner side ofthe tire seated in said 1,257,530 2/1918 P h 1 2/ peripheral groove toprohibit outward axial removal of 3,387,894 6/1968 Louik ..301/63 PW thetire f the wheel 2,175,646 10/1939 Replogle ..30l/63 PW 3,048,447 8/1962Klint ..46/22l X 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY FORTOY VEHICLES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is highly desirable thatminiature toy vehicles simulate the appearance of their operative fullsized counterparts as closely as possible and yet be economically anddurably produced and safe in the hands of young children.

Accordingly, manufacturers of tire bearing wheeled toy vehicles such ascars and trucks attempt to simulate the wheel, tire and hub cab of thereal thing as closely as possible. This has generally been accomplishedin various ways.

In one form of the structure a unitary tire and wheel member of blackrubber or plastic material is either fixedly mounted or journaled on theend of an axle and a metal disk mounted concentrically on the outer sideof the member to simulate the wheel or hub cap. In another form a wheelis mounted on the end of an axle and is provided with a peripheralgroove or tire well in the rim into which the central internal bead of atire of resilient material may be stretched and seated.

Neither of these structures is completely satisfactory for variousreasons. In the first form mentioned the tire and wheel member must beof an undesirably hard or rigid material to assure its retention on theaxle without providing a separate bearing insert. If it is of aresilient material it may be easily pulled off of the axle. Also it isnot a true wheel and tire assembly. In the second form mentioned andwhere a resilient material such as rubber or vinyl is used in the tire,a child may generally easily peel it off of the wheel to be lost.Moreover, the latter structure at least does not readily lend itself tothe mounting of tires such as sand tires which have a large axial widthrelative to the diameter thereof.

It is, of course, additionally desirable from a manufacturing standpointthat both the wheel and tire have relatively thin wall structuresthroughout both to save material and reduce the hardening or settingtime after molding.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is toprovide an improved wheel and tire assembly for miniature toy vehicleswherein a tire of resilient material is actually mounted on a wheel andis so locked in place thereon as to prohibit or restrict removal whenthe wheel is mounted on the vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wheel and tire assemblyfor toy vehicles which more truly simulates the appearance of a realvehicle tire and wheel assembly than those heretofore known.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a wheel and tireassembly for toy vehicles which enables the mounting of a flexible tireon a rigid wheel which has an abnormally large width relative to itsdiameter and with both components having relatively thin wall structuresthroughout.

With these and other objects in view the invention broadly comprises acylindrical cavernous wheel of rigid material having a reduced portionprojecting concentrically from the outer side thereof and a peripheralgroove extending around the inner edge thereof and a tire of resilientmaterial mounted on the wheel and having an outer side wall tightlyencircling the reduced portion and an annular bead on the inner sidethereof seated in said groove to lock the tire against axial removalfrom the wheel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an outer side elevation of the wheel and tire assembly.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the assembly showing the wheel in elevationand the tire in diametrical cross section.

FIG. 3 is an inner side elevation of the assembly.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the wheel and tire prior to assembly andwith the tire shown in diametrical cross section.

FIG. 5 is a diametrical cross section through the entire assembly takenon line 55 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a section through the assembly taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularlyto the drawings, reference numerals will be used to denote like parts orstructural features in the different views. The wheel assembly isdesignated generally by the number 10 and comprises a wheel 11 ofgenerally cylindrical shape having an annular tire 12 thereon inencircling relation.

Wheel 11 is a generally cylindrical cavernous body that is cast ormolded in unitary form ofa rigid material such as metal or plastic. Atits center a hub 14 is formed at one end of an elongated tubular hubspindle 15 which has an axle receiving socket 16 opening axially towardthe inner side of the wheel. A circular wheel wall 17 encircles themedial portion of spindle 15 and supports a cylindrical wheel ring 18 incoaxial radially spaced relation to the spindle. The outer face of wall17 between hub 14 and ring 18 is configured to simulate a plurality ofradially extending spokes l9 and the outer end of hub 14 is configuredto simulate the end of an axle at 20 and a series of wheel mountingbolts 21 (FIG. 1). A plurality of circumferentially spaced spoke blades22 connect the spindle 15 to wheel ring 18 on the inner side of wall 17leaving recesses 24 therebetween.

An annular rim 25 having a smooth cylindrical outer surface 26 encirclesring 18 in spaced concentric relation and is integrally connectedthereto by an inner wheel wall 27. A plurality of circumferentiallyspaced outer spoke segments 28 extend between ring 18 and rim 25 leavingoutwardly opening recesses 29 therebetween. Segments 28 extend outwardlybeyond rim 25 and to a point short of the outer edge of wheel ring 18 toform a tire bead seat 30 at the end of the peripheral surface of ring18. The outer edge of each spoke segment 28 extends normal to the wheelaxis a short distance just inside of seat 30 and then angles as at 31toward rim 25 and over the outside edge thereof to the outer cylindricalsurface 26 of the rim.

The rim 25 at the external corner of its junction with inner wheel wall27 is provided with a peripheral L- shaped seat 32 which opens radiallyoutward and axially toward the inner side of the wheel. This is a tirere tention seat as will be shortly more fully described.

Tire 12 is formed of resilient material such as vinyl or rubber and hasan annular wall 35 the external cylindrical surface of which may beprovided with protruding transversely and circumferentially extendingtreads denoted respectively at 36 and 37. The outer side wall 38 of thetire curls inwardly from the outer edge of wall 35 and terminates in abead 39 having an internal diameter equal to the external diameter ofring 18 and the bead seat 30 formed on the outer end thereof. The sizeand shape of bead 39 is retained by integrally formed gussets 40extending between walls 35 and 38. A relatively short circumferentialbead 41 projects radially inward from the inner edge of wall 35 with theinside face 42 (FIG. 2) thereof lying on a plane perpendicular to theaxis of the tire.

ln preassembled condition the wheel 11 and tire 12 are in the relativepositions shown in FIG. 4. To assemble the wheel is simply forced in anaxial direction into the tire. The tapered edges 31 of segments 28automatically center the wheel in coaxial relation with the tire anddistend the bead 41 so that it slides onto and along surface 26 untilthe wheel is fully inserted into the tire and the bead 41 locks in theL-shaped seat 32. This occurs as the outer end of ring 18 enters intohead 39 which becomes firmly seated in seat 30.

An axle 44 having a serrated enlarged portion 45 is press fit intosocket 16 in the spindle 15. Axles 44 with tire and wheel assembliessecured on each end thereof are journaled in transversely extendingpositions on the toy vehicle to provide rolling support there for.

When the wheel assembly is mounted on a vehicle particularly under afender, it is very difficult, if not impossible, for a young child toremove the tire from the wheel as he can only pull on one side of flange41 and cannot get a good grip on that.

The wheel 11 can be formed to have a very realistic appearance as shownin FIGS. 1 and 3. The wheel is very durable and yet the various recessesin both sides of the wheel render all of the various walls in the wheelstructure quite thin for a rapid hardening in the mold to reduceproduction time. This is also true of the tire 12 although side wall 38creates the appearance ofa relatively thick tire. The thin walls of thetire tend to reduce shrinkage during cooling. Moreover, the componentslend themselves well to assembly by automatron.

Having now therefore fully illustrated and described my invention, whatI claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a wheel and tire assembly for a miniature toy vehicle, a wheel ofrigid material having a cylindrical peripheral surface connecting innerand outer sides of the wheel, the wheel being provided with a continuousgroove around said peripheral surface opening toward the inner sidethereof and having a diametrically reduced hub portion on the outer sidethereof concentric with said peripheral surface and projecting axiallyoutwardly therebeyond, and being provided with radially extendingshoulder means spaced axially inwardly from the outer edge of said hubportion anannular tire of resilient material having an interiorcylindrical surface adapted to conform to and fit snugly around theperipheral surface of thewheel, said tire having an annular side wall onone side, engagin the outer side of the wheel and having an inner peripery tightly encircling said hub portion and abutting said shoulder meansto retain the tire against axially inward movement on said wheel and aninwardly directed annular bead on the other side seated'in said groovein the wheel to retain the tire against outward axial movement from thewheel but to permit axial inward movement of said tire onto said wheel,the radial dimension of said side wall being substantially greater thanthat of the bead whereby to simulate a tire sidewall.

2. The subject matter of claim 1 wherein a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced gussets integrally connect the side wall tosaid interior cylindrical surface of the tire. v

3. The subject matter of claim 1 wherein the wheel is provided with aplurality of uniform circumferentially spaced segments having outeredges beveled from said peripheral surface toward said reduced portionto aid in assembling the wheel and tire by inserting the wheel axiallyoutward through the bead distending the same and through the tire untilthe bead seats in the groove.

4. In a wheel and tire assembly for a miniature toy vehicle,

a. a wheel having a tubular center spindle with a hub on its outer endand an inwardly opening socket in its other end for reception of anaxle,

b. an axially elongated wheel ring concentrically encircling the spindlein spaced relation thereto,

0. a radially extending plate interconnecting the axially medialportions of the spindle and ring leaving open space on both sidesthereof,

d. a wheel rim having a cylindrical peripheral surface concentricallyencircling the wheel ring in spaced relation thereto,

e. a wheel wall interconnecting the axially inner end portions of therim and the ring leaving open space on the outer side thereof,

f. said wheel ring extending axially outward beyond the wheel rim,

g. said wheel rim having a'continuous groove extending therearound andopening through said peripheral surface, and

h. a tire mounted in encircling relation on the rim and having anannular outer side wall encircling the wheel ring and an annular innerbead seated in said continuous groove.

1. In a wheel and tire assembly for a miniature toy vehicle, a wheel ofrigid material having a cylindrical peripheral surface connecting innerand outer sides of the wheel, the wheel being provided with a continuousgroove around said peripheral surface opening toward the inner sidethereof and having a diametrically reduced hub portion on the outer sidethereof concentric with said peripheral surface and projecting axiallyoutwardly therebeyond, and being provided with radially extendingshoulder means spaced axially inwardly from the outer edge of said hubportion an annular tire of resilient material having an interiorcylindrical surface adapted to conform to and fit snugly around theperipheral surface of the wheel, said tire having an annular side wallon one side, engaging the outer side of the wheel and having an innerperiphery tightly encircling said hub portion and abutting said shouldermeans to retain the tire against axially inward movement on said wheeland an inwardly directed annular bead on the other side seated in saidgroove in the wheel to retain the tire against outward axial movementfrom the wheel but to permit axial inward movement of said tire ontosaid wheel, the radial dimension of said side wall being substantiallygreater than that of the bead whereby to simulate a tire sidewall. 2.The subject matter of claim 1 wherein a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced gussets integrally connect the side wall to said interiorcylindrical surface of the tire.
 3. The subject matter of claim 1wherein the wheel is provided with a plurality of uniformcircumferentially spaced segments having outer edges beveled from saidperipheral surface toward said reduced portion to aid in assembling thewheel and tire by inserting the wheel axially outward through the beaddistending the same and through the tire until the bead seats in thegroove.
 4. In a wheel and tire assembly for a miniature toy vehicle, a.a wheel having a tubular center spindle with a hub on its outer end andan inwardly opening socket in its other end for reception of an axle, b.an axially elongated wheel ring concentrically encircling the spindle inspaced relation thereto, c. a radially extenDing plate interconnectingthe axially medial portions of the spindle and ring leaving open spaceon both sides thereof, d. a wheel rim having a cylindrical peripheralsurface concentrically encircling the wheel ring in spaced relationthereto, e. a wheel wall interconnecting the axially inner end portionsof the rim and the ring leaving open space on the outer side thereof, f.said wheel ring extending axially outward beyond the wheel rim, g. saidwheel rim having a continuous groove extending therearound and openingthrough said peripheral surface, and h. a tire mounted in encirclingrelation on the rim and having an annular outer side wall encircling thewheel ring and an annular inner bead seated in said continuous groove.